IRLF 


SB 

191 

M2 

F87 

1886 

MAIN 


IS 


77 


CORN: 


ORIGIN,  HISTORY,  USES,^ABUSES 


BEING  THE  SUBSTANCE  OF  ADDRESSES  BY 


Delivered  before  the  Cass,  Adams,  Kearney,  Sewarfc 

County  Agricultural  Societies,  Nebraska. 


1886. 


n,  and  Clay 


LINCOLN,  NEB.: 
JOURNAL  COMPANY,  STATE  PRINTERS. 


ft 


The  illustrations  on  pages  3  and  4  of  the  cover  were 
conceived  and  executed  by  ORANGE  JUDD,  of  the  Prairie 
Farmer,  Chicago,  and  by  the  Company  copyrighted.  By 
the  kindness  of  Mr.  Judd,  who  is  laboring  with  Nebraska 
to  sustain  "  Corn  is  King,"  I  am  permitted  their  use  in 
this  publication. 


is 


CORN: 


ORIGIN,  HISTORY,  USES, ^ABUSES 


BEING  THE  SUBSTANCE  OF  ADDRESSKS  BY 


w. 


Delivered  before  the  Cass,  Adams,  Kearney,  Seward,  Johnson,  and  Clay 
County  Agricultural  Societies,  Nebraska. 


1886. 


LINCOLN,  NEB.: 

.IOUKNAF,  COMPANY,  STATE  PIUNTKUS. 
1888. 


lE'TEODUCTIOK 


As  most  of  you  are  aware,  I  enjoyed  the  distinguished 
honor  of  representing  the  young  agricultural  giant,  Ne- 
braska, at  the  "  World's  Industrial  and  Cotton  Centennial 
Exposition,"  New  Orleans,  La.,  J 884-5.  When  I  ac- 
cepted the  position  tendered  me  by  the  president  of  the 
United  States,  as  commissioner,  I  determined  to  make  a 
point  on  the  great  staple  product  of  Nebraska,  corn.  The 
first  banner  I  flung  to  the  breeze  in  government  building, 
had  inscribed  on  its  folds,  "Corn  is  King."  To  go  south 
and  claim  king  for  any  other  soil  product  than  cotton, 
especially  at  the  " Cotton  Centennial,"  was  deemed  an  in- 
tolerable bit  of  impudence,  in  nowise  orthodox — a  broad- 
gauge  departure.  Cotton,  sugar,  and  tobacco,  all  elevated 
their  nasal  protuberances,  saying  by  actions,  which  are  said 
to  "speak  louder  than  words,"  "  How  dare  you!"  Min- 
nesota, u  the  state  with  boundless  wheat  fields  glinted." 
our  next  door  neighbor  at  the  exposition,  was  "  to  arms" 
u  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye/'  pressing  the  superiority  of 
wheat  and  invoking  the  muses  to  aid  her  in  obliterating 
our  banner  inscription.  Colorado,  Kansas,  Illinois,  and 
Dakota  set  themselves  to  work  manufacturing  huge  artifi- 
cial ears  to  eclipse  our  natural  growth  of  "  Chester  County 
Mammoth."  For  a  time  outsiders  entertained  doubts  as 
to  our  ability  to  maintain  the  advanced  position  taken. 


But  we  "  fought  it  out  on  that  Hue/'  and  came  home  "  with 
our  banner  still  there." 

And  now.  in  calmer  moments,  as  it  were,  I  am  bold  to 
assert  the  belief  that  among  all  the  factors  of  culture  in  the 
United  States,  corn  takes  precedence  in  the  scale  of  crops, 
as  best  adapted  to  more  soils,  climates,  and  conditions;  is 
used  for  more  purposes;  furnishes  more  nutritive  food  for 
man  and  beast ;  has  more  commercial,  cultural,  and  eco- 
nomic value;  gives  more  grain  to  the  acre  than  any  other 
cereal ;  more  fodder  than  any  other  of  the  grasses ;  puts  our 
beef  in  prime  order;  fattens  our  pork ;  is  the  basis  of  our 
butter  and  cheese  supply  ;  furnishes  immense  manufactur- 
ing material;  has  twice  the  value  of  cotton  ;  worth  fifty  per 
cent  more  than  wheat;  its  influence  on  the  prosperity  and 
wealth  of  the  United  States  is  greater  than  that  of  any 
other  cultivated  plant ;  and  to  the  transportation  companies, 
has  "  millions  in  it."  The  belief  has  been  expressed  that 
had  not  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  discovered  this  golden  grain 
the  first  winter  they  landed  on  our  shores,  this  "  land  of  the 
free  and  home  of  the  brave,"  would  to-day  bean  "  unsolved 
problem."  But  why  extend.  Its  uses  and  value  are  end- 
less and  incalculable. 

In  round  numbers,  the  corn  crop  of  the  United  States  for 
1885  is  put  down  at  two  billions  of  bushels,  a  gain  of  near 
ten  per  cent  on  1884.  In  the  corn  acreage  of  the  entire 
country  there  was  a  gain  of  six  per  cent.  In  the  twelve 
leading  corn  states,  seven  per  cent;  four  per  cent  in  the 
south,  and  one  per  cent  in  the  New  England  States.  A 
statistical  calculator  estimates  that  were  all  the  corn  crop 


of  1885  put  in  flour  barrels,  and  stood  as  closely  together 
as  possible,  they  would  stretch  sixty  times  across  this  con- 
tinent. 

The  last  National  Census  Report  shows  these  figures: 


ACKES. 

BUSHELS. 

Wheat 

62  368  869 

459  479  535 

Oats 

16  144  593 

407,858,999 

Burley 

1  997,717 

44,113,495 

Rye 

1,842,303 

19,831,595 

Buckwheat                     .            

848,389 

11,817,727 

Total          

83,201,871 

943,101,351 

CORN  

62,368,869 

1,754,861,535 

Excess  over  all  other  grains 

811  760  184 

That  is  to  say,  the  bushels  of  corn  grown  equaled  all 
other  grains,  and  a  surplus  of  over  86  per  Gent.  Take  the 
crops  when  other  grain  yields  were  unusually  large,  viz., 
in  1884: 


ACKES. 

BUSHELS. 

VALUE. 

Wheat 

39  475  885 

512  765  000 

$330  862  260 

Oats 

21  300  917 

583  628  000 

161  528  470 

Barley  : 

2  603  818 

61  203  000 

29  777  170 

Rve  .. 

2  343  963 

28  640  000 

14  857  040 

Total  

65,729,583 

1,186,236,000 

$537  024  940 

CORN 

69  683  780 

1  795  528  000 

640  735  560 

Corn  excess  

5  954,197 

609  292  000 

$103  710  6^0 

One  hundred  and  three  million  dollars  more  in  value  of 
corn  than  all  other  grains ! 


CORN. 


ORIGIN. 

This  wonderful  product,  which  has  conferred  more  sub- 
stantial benefits  on  the  world,  as  well  as  indirectly  inflicting 
more  ills  on  the  human  race  than  any  or  all  others  known 
to  civilization,  strange  to  say,  is  of  unknown  origin — 
wrapped  in  mystery,  or  at  least  is  not  definitely  fixed.  A 
learned  author,  after  much  thought  and  investigation,  con- 
cludes with  the  expression  :  "  Like  that  of  wheat  and  bar- 
ley, its  origin  is  lost  in  the  twilight  of  antiquity." 

Scientifically  speaking  it  belongs  to  the  natural  order 
Graminece,  and  is  a  moncecious  grass.  Linnaeus  adopted 
as  the  specific  name  of  his  genus  zea,  "  to  live,"  "  affording 
sustenance  to  animals."  Its  botanical  nomenclature  is 
zea  mays — maize,  more  simplified,  Indian  corn  ;  in  common 
parlance,  plain  corn. 

It  was  first  cultivated  in  the  United  States  by  the  Eng- 
lish, on  James  river,  Virginia,  in  1608,  the  seed  of  which 
was  obtained  from  the  Indians,  who  claimed  to  be  the  orig- 
inators, or  first  discoverers  of  the  plant — receiving  it  direct 
from  the  hands  of  the  Creator.  Schoolcraft  gives  their 
mythological  history  of  it:  "  A  young  man  went  out  into 
the  woods  to  fast,  at  that  period  of  life  when  youth  is  ex- 
changed for  manhood.  He  built  a  lodge  of  boughs  in  a 
secluded  place,  and  painted  his  face  of  a  somber  hue.  By 
day  he  amused  himself  in  walking  about,  looking  at  the 
various  shrubs  and  wild  plants,  and  at  night  lay  down  in 
his  bower,  which  being  open,  he  could  look  up  into  the  sky. 
He  sought  a  gift  from  the  Master  of  life,  and  he  hoped  it 


10 

would  be  something  to  benefit  his  race.  On  the  third  day 
he  became  too  weak  to  leave  the  lodge,  and  as  he  lay  gaz- 
ing upwards  he  saw  a  spirit  come  down  in  the  shape  of  a 
beautiful  young  man,  dressed  in  green  and  having  green 
plumes  on  his  head,  who  told  him  to  arise  and  wrestle  with 
him,  as  this  is  the  only  way  in  which  he  could  obtain  his 
wishes.  He  did  so,  and  found  his  strength  renewed  by  the 
effort.  This  visit  and  the  trial  of  wrestling  were  repeated  for 
four  days,  the  youth  feeling  at  each  trial  that,  although  his 
bodily  strength  declined,  a  moral  and  supernatural  energy 
was  imparted,  which  promised  him  the  final  victory.  On  the 
third  day  his  celestial  visitor  spoke  to  him.  i  To-morrow/ 
said  he,  'will  be  the  seventh  day  of  your  fast,  and  the  last 
time  I  shall  wrestle  with  you.  You  will  triumph  over  me 
and  gain  your  wishes.  As  soon  as  you  have  thrown  me 
down,  strip  off  my  clothes,  and  bury  me  on  the  spot  in  soft 
fresh  earth.  When  you  have  done  this,  leave  me,  but  come 
occasionally  to  visit  the  place,  to  keep  the  weeds  from  grow- 
ing. Once  or  twice  cover  me  with  fresh  earth.'  He  then 
departed,  but  returned  the  next  day,  and,  as  he  had  pre- 
dicted, was  thrown  down.  The  young  man  punctually 
obeyed  his  instructions  in  every  particular,  and  soon  had 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  green  plumes  of  his  sky  visitor 
shooting  up  through  the  ground.  He  carefully  weeded  the 
earth,  and  kept  it  fresh  and  soft,  and  in  due  time  was  grati- 
fied by  beholding  the  matured  plant,  bending  with  its 
golden  fruit,  and  gracefully  waving  its  green  leaves  and 
yellow  tassels  in  the  wind.  He  then  invited  his  parents  to 
the  spot  to  behold  the  new  plant.  '  It  is  Mondamin,  re- 
plied his  father;  'it  is  the  Spirit's  grain/  They  immedi- 
ately prepared  a  feast,  and  invited  their  friends  to  partake 
of  it,  and  this  is  the  origin  of  Indian  corn.77 

In  1621  the  Indian  chiefs  Samoset  and  Squauto  visited 
the  Pilgrims  at  Plymouth,  and  instructed  them  how  corn 


11 

should  be  planted,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  ground 
should  be  prepared,  and  manured  with  alewives — fish.  The 
same  year  Edward  Winslow  and  Stephen  Hopkins  visited 
the  Indians  at  Namasket  and  Middleborough,  who  received 
them  with  great  joy,  and  regaled  them  with  bread  called 
mazium,  made  from  Indian  corn. 

Rifaud  claims  to  have  found  "  corn"  under  the  head  of 
a  mummy  at  Thebes.  If  it  was  known  to  the  Egyptians 
in  Pharoah's  time,  it  was  introduced  into  Palestine  in  a 
very  early  day.  The  word  "corn,"  however,  in  Biblical 
parlance,  is  known  to  signify  all  cereals.  The  Hebrew 
word  dagari  means  to  "  increase,"  and  can  properly  be 
rendered  u  grain/'  l(  corn,"  "  wheat."  In  fact  the  term 
"corn,"  as  anciently  used,  is  sufficiently  comprehensive  to 
include,  not  only  all  proper  cereals,  but  various  kinds  of 
seeds  and  plants,  in  nowise  belonging  to  grain  products, 
says  a  learned  writer  upon  this  subject. 

De  Candolle  and  other  ancient  botanists  assign  the  ori- 
gin of  this  valuable  grain  to  South  America.  Bouofous 
was  of  the  opinion  corn  was  indigenous,  both  in  China  and 
south-west  South  America.  This  theory  was  in  accord- 
ance with  an  old  idea  entertained  respecting  many  other 
tropical  American  vegetables.  Humboldt  maintains  that 
corn  is  an  American  plant,  and  that  the  new  world  gave 
it  to  the  old.  Those  of  his  opinion  claim  that  Columbus, 
on  his  return  from  his  first  voyage,  in  1493,  took  to  Eu- 
rope the  first  grains  of  Indian  corn,  and  thence  its  cultiva- 
tion spread  into  Portugal  and  southern  Europe.  The  Por- 
tuguese, who  were  at  that  time  the  great  navigators  of  the 
world,  having  doubled  Cape  Horn  previously  and  discov- 
ered Java,  in  1495.  introduced  it  along  the  African  coast 
and  into  Java,  and  thence  its  cultivation  spread  into  India 
and  China,  and  was  correctly  figured  in  a  Chinese  work  on 
agriculture  as  early  as  1552. 


12 

Another  proof  of  American  origin,  is  the  fact  that  in 
several  forms  it  is  found  growing  wild,  from  the  Rocky 
mountains  in  North  America  to  the  humid  forests  of  Para- 
guay. In  southern  sugar-growing  regions  u  wild  corn/'  as 
it  is  called,  as  a  weed  pest,  is  equal  to  sand  or  cockle  burr, 
Spanish  needle,  or  smart-weed  in  the  North. 

Corn  did  not  grow  in  that  part  of  Asia  watered  by  the 
Indus  at  the  time  of  Alexander  the  Great's  expedition,  as 
it  is  not  among  the  productions  of  that  country  mentioned 
by  Nearchus,  the  commander  of  the  fleet.  Neither  is  it 
noticed  by  Arrian,  Diodorus,  Collumella,  or  any  other 
ancient  author.  As  late  as  1491,  the  year  before  Colum- 
bus discovered  America,  Joan  di  Cuba,  in  his  "Ortus  San- 
itatus,"  makes  no  mention  of  it.  There  is  no  satisfactory 
evidence  that  it  has  ever  been  found  in  any  ancient  tumu- 
lus, sarcophagus,  or  pyramid.  Nor  has  it  ever  been  rep- 
resented in  any  ancient  painting,  sculpture,  or  work  of  art, 
except  in  America.  According  to  Garcilaso  de  la  Vega, 
one  of  the  earliest  Peruvian  historians,  the  palace  gardens 
of  the  Incas  were  ornamented  with  maize  in  gold  and  sil- 
ver, with  all  the  grains,  spike,  stalks  and  leaves.  In  one 
instance,  in  the  "Garden  of  Gold  and  Silver/'  there  was 
an  entire  corn  field,  of  considerable  size,  representing  the 
maize  in  its  exact  and  natural  shape,  a  proof  no  less  of  the 
wealth  of  the  Incas,  than  their  veneration  for  this  import- 
ant grain. 

The  arguments  derived  from  vegetable  physiology 
strongly  favor  its  Eastern  origin.  Because,  while  fur- 
ther India  and  China  contain  many  native  plants  of  re- 
lated genera,  like  sorghum  and  millet,  very  little,  if 
anything  of  the  kind  is  to  be  found  among  the  botanical 
productions  of  South  America.  By  the  barest  possibility, 
Indian  corn  may  have  been  introduced  into  some  portions 
of  North  America  by  the  Chinese  centuries  ago,  and  the 


13 

present  remote  probability  may  become  a  reasonable  one, 
if  modern  antiquarians  succeed  in  establishing  the  fact  of 
the  discovery  of  America  by  the  Chinese,  at  least  a  thous- 
and years  before  its  discovery  by  Columbus — a  triumph  of 
skillful  and  successful  research  which  may  not  be  far  off. 

Whatever  the  origin  of  corn  may  have  been,  whether 
with  the  Indians  of  North  America,  or  "on  the  slopes  of 
the  Andes,  or  in  the  fertile  valleys  of  the  mountains  of 
China, "  modern  botanists  and  naturalists  are  agreed  that 
the  origin  was  of  the  species  zea  tunica — clothed  corn. 
That  is,  each  kernel  was  enveloped  in  a  separate  tunic,  or 
husk,  similar  to  grains  of  wheat  in  the  head.  Descending 
from  this  type,  species,  classes,  and  varieties  have  become 
almost  innumerable,  each  country,  climate,  soil,  situation, 
and  parallel  having  those  suited  to  the  circumstances.  No 
plant  accepts  the  modifications  of  soil,  climate,  and  condi- 
tions, so  readily  and  quickly  as  corn.  No  other  succeeds 
so  well  from  the  equator  to,  say  50°  north  and  south  lati- 
tude. None  so  easily  preserved  through  all  seasons,  and 
for  such  length  of  time.  It  is  called  both  the  "the  poor 
man's  crop  "  and  "  the  lazy  man's  crop/'  because,  particu- 
larly, it  can  be  left  standing  in  the  field  almost  from  one 
year's  end  to  another,  not  requiring  to  be  garnered  at  any 
specific  period.  This  mode  of  caring  for  a  corn  crop,  how- 
ever, is  not  presented  in  form  of  a  recommendation,  by  any 
means,  but  simply  as  showing  a  characteristic.  In  any 
event,  it  is  the  crop  for  the  million. 

RACES  AND  VALUE. 

There  are  at  least  five  distinct  races  or  species  of  corn  : 
Dent,  flint,  sweet,  pop,  and  soft.  These  divisions  are 
plainly  marked,  and  easily  distinguished  by  inspection  of 
either,  or  both,  ears  and  kernels.  The  number  of  what 
may  be  properly  termed  varieties  are  unlimited  almost, 


14 

the  names  principally  local,  few  only  having  become  of 
general  use.  White  Dent,  yellow  Dent,  Yankee  flint,  cal- 
ico, bloody  butcher,  late  sugar,  early  sugar,  red  pop,  white 
pop,  squaw,  Chester  county,  or  Pennsylvania  mam  moth,  and 
others  that  might  be  named, are  known  in  almost  all  sections. 
In  the  collection  I  had  on  exhibition  at  New  Orleans,  there 
were  seventy-five  distinct  varieties  grown  in  Nebraska. 
There  are  different  types  of  growth  under  each  of  the  prin- 
cipal divisions  named,  showing  distinct  characteristics,  and 
which  invariably  produce  ears  true  to  their  type,  when 
kept  free  from  others;  such  as  pure  white,  pure  yellow, 
pure  red,  regular  mixtures,  eight-rowed,  and  other  num- 
bered rows.  The  Indians  have,  by  close  attention,  a 
marked  corn  of  precise  and  exact  mixtures  of  different  col- 
ored grains  on  the  same  ear,  each  band  having  its  peculiar 
mixture.  For  instance,  one  band  has  all  red  and  white 
grains,  another  all  black  and  yellow  grains,  another  all 
pure  white,  another  all  pure  black,  and  so  on,  with  various 
distinctions,  said  to  have  originated  as  a  means  of  detect- 
ing theft  by  one  band  from  another.  All  may  be  simpli- 
fied under  these  heads,  viz.,  Dent,  flint,  etc.,  races;  yellow, 
white,  etc.,  classes;  and  large,  medium,  and  small  types. 

After  all,  nomenclature  is  of  secondary  importance  when 
compared  with  a  standard  of  excellence.  The  first  prime 
point  in  an  ear  of  corn  is  its  nutritive  substance.  It 
should  show  a  proper  proportion  of  protein,  carbo-hydrates, 
and  fat.  It  is  generally  considered  that  the  flint  and  sugar 
varieties  show  a  higher  nutritive  ratio  than  the  Dents. 
The  latter,  however,  are  in  more  general  use  commercially, 
and  therefore  regarded  as  the  standards.  The  average  of 
a  given  number  of  analyses  of  the  Dent  varieties  show: 


15 


WATER. 

ASH. 

ALBUMIN- 
OIDS. 

FIBRE. 

CARBO- 
HYD- 
RATES. 

FATS. 

Average  
Maximum 

11.23 
15  24 

1.48 
1  79 

10.49 
11  75 

1.91 

2  95 

70.15 
7.")  26 

4.74 

6.28 

Minimum  

6.22 

1.28 

8.105 

1.25 

66.26 

3.80 

These  analyses  fairly  represent  the  composition  of  Dent 
corn.  A  more  evenly  balanced  ratio  of  this  great  stock 
food  would  be  desirable.  A  maximum  of  albuminoids 
should  be  maintained,  even  at  sacrifice  of  carbo-hydrates. 
Kernels  which  contain  the  greatest  amount  of  corneous 
matter,  are  considered  richest  in  albuminoids,  say  chemists. 
The  matter  of  first  importance  is,  that  the  per  cent  yield  of 
kernel  be  as  large  as  possible  without  injuriously  weaken- 
ing the  cob,  which  sustains,  and  through  which  it  directly 
receives  its  nourishment. 

The  "Ohio  Experiment  Station"  has  established  a  scale 
of  points  of  excellence,  of  what  Prof.  Lazenby  is  pleased  to 
term  an  ideal  ear  of  corn,  as  follows: 

Points.                                                                 Value  of  each. 

Greatest  per  cent  of  shelled  corn 40 

Trueness  of  type 10 

Evenness  of  diameter 10 

Length  of  ear 10 

Number  of  rows 5 

Size  and  shape  of  kernel 10 

Hardness  of  kernel..                                                  .  15 


Total 


100 


It  will   be  seen   the  prominent   points   in  the  scale  are 
yield  and   hardness  of  kernel.     Hard  kernels,  as  in   the 


16 

flints,  are  believed  to  contain  a  larger  per  cent  of  protein, 
an  important  desideratum. 

SEASON. 

The  corn  season — that  is,  the  time  required  to  mature,  is 
not  of  as  much  importance  with  us  in  Nebraska  as  in  other 
sections.  We  are  in  the  corn  belt  proper,  and  almost  any 
of  the  valuable  races  or  varieties  will  ripen  without  risk. 
One  hundred  and  ten  days  from  date  of  vegetation  to  date 
of  ripening  or  security  from  frost  is  about  the  average  sea- 
son in  the  corn  belt.  Here  we  are  quite  sure  of  at  least  one 
hundred  and  twenty  days,  say  from  first  to  fifteenth  of 
May,  our  corn  planting  season,  usually  to  first  to  fifteenth 
of  September,  the  ordinary  period  of  security.  While  the 
dates  given  are  those  observed  by  thrifty,  intelligent  far- 
mers as  a  rule,  there  is  much  variance  in  time  of  planting. 
Some  are  slow  naturally,  and  others,  at  times,  governed 
by  uncontrollable  circumstances,  do  not  get  corn  in  the 
ground  until  the  middle  of  June,  and  yet,  more  frequently 
than  otherwise,  escape  early  frosts.  It  will  be  remembered 
by  those  who  were  residents  of  this  state  when  we  were 
overrun  with  spring  grasshoppers,  that  no  corn  stand  was 
obtained  before  the  twentieth  of  June  planting.  Planting 
was  continued  along  until  as  late  as  the  fourth  of  July. 
Near  all  the  June  planting  matured  well,  and  that  in  July 
made  excellent  soft  corn  for  stock  feeding.  It  was  re- 
marked that  stock  never  did  so  well  as  the  winter  follow- 
ing, thus  showing  that  corn  can  be  depended  on  with  a 
favorable  ninety  day  season.  I  speak  of  the  Dent  varieties, 
because,  as  said,  they  are  our  standards. 

The  fewer-rowed  varieties  generally  have  longer  ears, 
yield  less  per  acre,  have  over  an  average  cob  weight,  and 
mature  somewhat  earlier.  The  many  rowed  varieties  have 
shorter  ears,  increased  kernel  yield  and  weight,  and  de- 


17 

crease  in  weight  of  cob,  and  ripen  a  few  days  only  later. 
The  standard  legal  weight  for  cobs  per  bushel  of  shelled 
corn  is  fixed  at  fourteen  pounds.  Standard  varieties  in 
Nebraska  seldom  exceed  twelve  pounds  of  cob,  and  run  as 
low  as  ten  and  nine. 

There  is  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  number  of  rows 
a  standard  or  ideal  ear  of  corn  should  contain.  Sixteen 
may  be  called  a  safe  compromise.  The  size  and  shape  of 
an  ideal  kernel  is  of  importance.  It  should  be  of  good 
depth,  wedge  shape,  filling  up  the  ear  compact,  with  a 
smooth  square  surface,  well  glazed,  well  filled  at  the  end, 
simply  a  round  dimple  or  slight  depression.  Too  much 
wrinkling  at  the  end  indicates  a  lack  of  corneous  matter. 

SEED  AND  YIELD. 

In  my  humble  opinion,  farmers  as  a  rule  do  not  attach 
sufficient  importance  to  corn  yield.  When  our  average 
yield  the  state  over  is  put  down  at  forty  bushels  to  the  acre, 
we  are  apt  to  say,  "that  is  good.77  But  the  careful  in- 
telligent corn  grower  should  not  be  content  with  a  less 
average  yield  than  seventy-five  bushels  to  the  acre.  Ex- 
ercising care  in  matters  of  seed,  adaptation  of  soil,  tillage, 
and  garnering,  there  is  no  good  reason  why  this  yield  should 
not  be  had.  Our  State  Board  of  Agriculture  has  awarded 
premiums  on  as  high  as  one  hundred  and  fourteen  bushels 
per  acre.  "Less  acres  and  more  bushels/7  is  a  good  agri- 
cultural motto.  "A  maximum  yield  with  a  minimum  of 
human  toil77  and  we  "become  lenders  and  no  longer  bor- 
rowers.77 

I  speak  of  care  in  selecting  seed.  Orange  Judd,  in  his 
admirable  paper  before  our  State  Fair  last  fall,  treated  this 
subject  forcibly  and  in  detail,  showing  that  fully  one  tenth 
of  our  whole  corn  crop  is  lost  annually  by  the  use  of  bad 
seed — failure  to  select  and  preserve  good  seed.  I  am  in- 


18 

formed  by  grain  dealers  that  it  is  very  rare  that  Nebraska 
or  any  western  corn  goes  into  the  market  as  grade  No.  1 . 
There  is  a  reason  somewhere  for  this,  as  well  as  a  remedy. 
The  season,  climate,  and  soil  in  Nebraska  will  produce  No. 
1  corn  if  the  conditions  are  made  equal.  No.  1  seed  of  a 
No.  1  type,  with  No.  1  care  and  attention,  will  produce  No. 
1  corn. 

The  most  successful  corn  farmers  are  those  who,  a.<  it 
were,  have  made  their  own  varieties.  First  select  of  the 
corn  in  their  own  locality  the  best  obtainable  type.  From 
this  choose  annually  the  best  seed  ears,  until  it  is  bred  to  a 
desirable  or  required  standard.  It  has  been  demonstrated 
that  too  frequent  exchange  of  seed  corn  over  any  wide  ex- 
tended region  usually  works  harm.  The  idea  that  there 
must  be  a  mixture  of  types  planted  together  to  secure  crosses 
as  a  means  of  improvement  is  erroneous,  for  out  of  the 
chaos  of  types  resultant  from  any  cross,  a  pure  type  must 
again  be  selected  before  you  are  on  the  road  to  success. 
"  Selecting  from  existing  types,  and  keeping  the  types  pure," 
should  be  the  watchword  of  the  farmer  who  aspires  to  highest 
success. 

[After  the  delivery  of  this  paper  at  Seward,  J.  H.  Pur- 
dum,  one  of  the  most  successful  corn  growers  of  that  county, 
informed  me  that  four  of  the  principal  corn  premiums 
awarded  at  that  fair  were  from  a  line  of  seed  he  had  fol- 
lowed for  thirty  years  in  the  states  of  Illinois  and  Nebraska.] 

We  are  prone  to  talk  of  the  old  worn-out  soil  in  the  east 
sometimes  derisively.  True,  that  comparatively  a  few  years 
since  the  corn  grown  on  the  exhausted  soils  of  New  York 
and  New  England  were  yielding  five  to  ten  bushels  to  the 
acre,  and  those  farming  seemed  content  with  that.  The 
same  soil,  well  manured,  now  brings  fifty  and  seventy-five 
bushels  per  acre.  The  farmers  of  those  regions  are  claim- 
ing that  corn  now  is  their  most  profitable  crop.  I  have 


19 

the  authority  of  T.  S.  Gold,  Secretary  of  the  Connecticut 
Agricultural  Society,  that  one  T.  B.  Wakeman  of  that  state 
has  secured  the  enormous  yield  of  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
nine  bushels  and  twenty-three  quarts  shelled  corn  from  an 
acre  of  ground.  This,  of  course,  is  an  exceptional  yield, 
but  shows  the  possibilities  of  the  crop  under  scientific  man- 
agement, and  should  teach  us  in  the  west,  with  the  rich 
fertile  soil  we  are  heir  to,  not  to  be  plodding  along  with  a 
forty  bushel  yield. 

TIME  AND  MANNER  OF  PLANTING. 

Time  of  planting,  depth  and  number  of  kernels  to  the 
hill,  are  all  subjects  of  much  discussion  and  speculation.  As 
to  time  of  planting,  there  is  no  little  force  in  the  reply  said 
to  have  been  given  by  the  late  Horace  Greeley,to  an  enquiry 
said  to  have  been  made  him.  When  asked,  "  When  is 
the  best  time  to  set  a  hen?"  The  reply  was:  u  When  the 
hen  is  ready."  The  best  and  proper  time  to  plant  corn  or 
any  other  seed,  is  when  the  soil  is  ready.  That  is,  when 
sufficiently  warm  and  otherwise  in  condition  to  at  once 
embrace  the  seed  entrusted  to  its  care,  hasten  to  vegetation, 
and  forward  as  rapidly  as  possible  to  completion  of  cycle. 
With  us,  this  condition  seldom  occurs  before  the  date  I 
have  indicated  for  planting — first  to  tenth  of  May — often 
the  latter  part.  When  planted  before  the  soil  possesses 
the  essential  warming  influences,  much  of  the  seed  rots  out- 
right or  becomes  enfeebled,  and  a  poor  or  delicate  stand  is 
the  result.  I  have  in  my  mind's  eye  two  adjoining  fields 
planted  in  corn  the  same  year.  One  the  latter  part  of 
April  and  the  other  late  in  May.  The  May  planting  by 
far,  in  all  respects,  excelled  the  April  planting.  It  came 
up  quick  and  went  along  rapidly  without  hindrance.  The 
April  planting  never  got  out  of  a  stunted  strata. 


20 

There  are  advocates  of  both  deep  and  shallow  planting, 
each  claiming  superior  success.  My  thirty  years7  exper- 
ience and  observation  in  the  soil  and  climate  of  this  state, 
warrants  the  belief  that  the  sooner  corn  can  be  gotten  above 
the  surface  up,  the  better.  In  other  words,  plant  shallow, 
get  the  corn  up,  and  give  roots  depth  with  after  culture. 
It  is  important,  under  our  hot  suns,  that  roots  be  well  down 
in  the  soil,  with  a  downward  tendency,  at  least,  until  the 
top  has  sufficiently  advanced  to  shade  the  roots.  While 
it  is  true  the  atmospheric  conditions  are  not  the  same  on 
similar  dates  for  different  years,  the  effect  on  plant  growth 
is  as  important  as  though  the  seasons  obeyed  fixed  laws.  I 
repeat,  the  sooner  both  the  functions  of  root  and  leaf  are 
brought  into  joint  exercise  and  duty,  the  better. 

Another  somewhat  vexed  problem,  but  which  I  think 
practical  experience  has  solved,  is,  how  close  shall  corn  be 
planted  to  secure  best  results  in  matter  of  yield?  The  old 
rule  when  I  was  a  boy  on  the  farm — corn  was  planted  four 
feet  by  four,  marked  off  by  an  old-fashioned  bull  tongue 
plow,  dropped  by  hand,  four  to  six  kernels  in  a  hill,  and 
covered  with  a  garden  hoe.  Now,  with  the  modern  im- 
proved planters,  rows  three  and  a  half  feet  apart,  kernels 
can  be  put  in  any  distance  apart  and  as  many  in  a  hill  as 
desirable.  It  has  been  demonstrated  that  a  stock  of  corn 
requires  about  fifteen  inches  by  three  and  a  half  feet.  The 
highest  yields  have  been  produced  with  rows  three  and  a 
half  feet,  two  kernels  in  a  hill,  fifteen  inches  apart.  The 
next  best  yield,  one  kernel  in  a  hill  nine  inches  apart,  and 
the  next,  two  kernels  in  a  hill  twenty-four  inches  apart, 
rows  all  the  same  distance — three  and  a  half  feet.  The 
highest  ear  development  was  produced  from  the  single  grain 
hill  nine  inches  apart. 


21 


MILK  AND  BUTTER  FACTOR. 

Believing  that  the  time  is  in  the  very  near  future  when 
dairy  products  will  become  a  prime  factor  among  our  valued 
industries,  I  present  the  following  regarding  corn  as  a  milk 
and  bulter-producing  factor. 

I  quote  in  substance  from  a  series  of  experiments  made 
by  Prof.  Henry  of  the  Wisconsin  Agricultural  Experi- 
mental Station.  These  experiments  were  made  to  ascer- 
tain :  First,  The  relative  values  of  corn  fodder  and  mixed 
hay  for,producing  milk  and  butter.  Second,  The  relative 
values  of  corn  fodder  and  clover  hay  for  producing  milk 
and  butter.  Third,  The  amount  of  milk  and  butter  an 
acre  of  corn  will  make  when  fed  to  milk  cows.  Fourth, 
The  value  of  an  acre  of  corn  when  turned  into  milk  and 
butter. 

Four  excellent  butter  cows  were  selected  and  divided 
into  lots  of  two  each,  of  equal  capacity  for  producing  milk 
and  butter  as  near  as  could  be  judged.  In  the  first  trial, 
the  ration  of  lot  one  was  five  pounds  of  corn  meal  and 
seven  pounds  of  bran  per  cow  daily,  in  two  feeds,  fed  dry, 
and  as  many  corn-stalks  as  they  would  strip.  The  ration 
for  lot  two  was  the  same  as  that  of  lot  one,  except  for  the 
corn-stalks,  mixed  hay  was  substituted.  After  feeding 
carefully  fora  week,  the  ration  was  continued  and  the  milk 
and  butter  product  saved  for  fourteen  days.  At  the  end 
of  this  period  the  hay  and  corn-stalks  of  the  two  rations 
were  changed  about  for  the  two  lots,  and  the  trial  re- 
peated. 

Six  weeks  were  required  to  complete  the  test  with  mixed 
hay  and  corn-stalks,  and,  this  done,  the  whole  trial  was 
repeated,  except  that  clover  hay  was  substituted  for  the 
mixed  hay,  the  corn-stalk  ration  being  continued. 

Comparing  corn-stalks  with  the  mixed  hay,  when  sup- 


22 

plemented  by  280  pounds  of  corn  meal  and  392  pounds 
of  bran,  we  find,  2374  pounds  of  corn-stalks  yield  1120 
pounds  12  oz.  milk,  making  57  pounds  \  oz.  butter;  755 
pounds  of  mixed  hay  yield  1063  pounds  15  ozs.  milk,  mak- 
ing 56  pounds  \\  ozs.  butter,  or  56  pounds  13  ozs.  milk, 
and  15  ozs.  of  butter  more  from  the  stalks  than  from 
the  mixed  hay. 

Comparing  corn-stalks  with  clover  hay,  as  in  the  pre- 
vious instance,  we  find  1867  pounds  corn  stalks  yield  1079 
pounds  3  ozs.  milk,  making  52  pounds  2J  ozs.  butter ; 
6421J  pounds  clover  hay  yield  1059  pounds  1  oz.  milk, 
making  54  pounds  8J  ozs.  butter,  or  20  pounds  2  ozs. 
more  milk,  and  2  pounds  6  ozs.  more  butter  from  the  corn- 
stalks than  from  the  clover  hay. 

Taking  into  consideration  the  fact  that  the  milk  and 
butter  yield  are  both  larger  from  stalks  than  from  the 
mixed  hay,  it  is  fair  to  say  that  the  corn-stalks  were  worth 
one-third  as  much  as  the  mixed  hay — that  is,  one  ton  of 
mixed  hay  is  worth  three  tons  of  stalks  fed  as  these  were. 

From  the^  second  trial  we  see  that  one  ton  of  clover  hay 
was  worth  somewhat  more  than  three  tons  of  corn-stalks 
fed  as  described. 

In  the  two  trials  4,241  pounds  of  stalks  were  fed,  and 
1450  pounds  weighed  back  as  coarse  parts  that  the  cows 
refused  to  eat.  This  is  over  34  per  cent  of  the  whole 
amount  of  the  stalks,  by  weight,  lost  by  feeding  in  this 
manner. 

Arranging  figures  in  another  form,  we  have  the  follow- 
ing :  Food  required  for  100  pounds  of  milk  when  feeding 
corn-stalks — 193  pounds  of  corn-stalks,  25  pounds  of 
corn  meal,  35  pounds  of  wheat  bran.  Food  required 
for  100  pounds  of  butter  when  feeding  corn-stalks — 
3,880  pounds  of  corn-stalks,  514  pounds  of  corn  meal, 
719  pounds  of  wheat  bran.  Food  required  for  100 


23 

pounds  of  milk  when  feeding  mixed  hay — 71  pounds 
of  mixed  hay,  26  pounds  of  corn  meal,  36  pounds  of 
wheat  bran.  Food  required  for  100  pounds  of  butter 
when  feeding  mixed  hay — 1348  pounds  of  mixed  hay, 
500  pounds  of  corn  meal,  700  pounds  of  wheat  bran. 
Food  required  for  100  pounds  of  milk  when  feeding 
clover  hay — 60  pounds  of  clover  hay,  26  pounds  of  corn 
meal,  37  pounds  of  wheat  bran.  Food  required  for  100 
pounds  of  butter  when  feeding  clover  hay — 1179  pounds 
of  clover  hay,  513  pounds  of  corn  meal,  718  pounds  of 
wheat  bran. 

From  the  data  here  given  one  can  easily  calculate  the 
cost  of  food  necessary  to  produce  one  hundred  pounds  of 
milk  or  butter.  Supposing  hay  is  worth  $8  per  ton,  then 
the  corn-stalks  would  be  worth  $2.66,  or  one-third  the  value 
of  the  hay,  as  shown  by  these  experiments.  Suppose  fur- 
ther that  bran  can  be  had  for  $12,  and  corn  meal  for  $15 
per  ton — assuming  these  prices,  we  will  find  that  the  food 
necessary  to  produce  one  hundred  pounds  of  milk  costs* 
as  the  average  of  the  before  detailed  experiments,  about 
sixty-six  cents,  and  the  food  to  produce  one  hundred 
pounds  of  butter  costs  about  $12.84. 

With  these  facts  and  those  of  experiments  before  us,  let 
us  attempt  to  estimate  the  butter  that  can  be  produced  from 
an  acre  of  corn  land. 

For  this  purpose  let  us  assume  that  4,491  pounds  of  ears 
from  an  acre  would  make  4,000  pounds  of  corn  meal, 
allowing  for  shrinkage  and  grinding  about  twenty  per 
cent,  which  is  fully  enough  for  corn  as  dry  as  this  at 
husking. 

Now  most  farmers  would  be  unwilling  to  trade  a  ton  of 
corn  meal  for  a  ton  of  bran,  but  let  us  substitute  bran  for 
corn  meal,  pound  for  pound  in  part,  so  as  to  have  seven 
pounds  of  bran  for  each  five  of  corn  meal.  The  two  tons 


24 

of  corn  meal  then  would  give  us  2,334  pounds  of  bran  and 
1,666  pounds  of  corn  meal. 

By  our  experiments  we  have  shown,  that  by  feeding  as 
described,  193  pounds  of  corn  stalks  made  100  pounds  of 
milk,  and  for  100  pounds  of  butter  3,874  pounds  were 
required;  also,  that  25  pounds  of  corn  meal  and  35  of  bran 
were  required  in  addition  to  the  corn-stalks  for  100  pounds 
of  milk,  and  514  pounds  of  meal  and  718  pounds  of  bran 
for  1 00  pounds  of  butter. 

From  this  we  see  that  an  acre  of  land  produced  sufficient 
grain  food  for  6,664  pounds  of  milk,  or  324  pounds  of 
butter,  and  sufficient  corn-stalks  for  2324  pounds  of  milk, 
or  115  pounds  of  butter. 

Valuing  milk  at  $1.00  per  100  pounds  and  butter  at 
20  cents  per  pound,  we  find  that  one  acre  of  land  produced 
sufficient  corn-stalks  for  $23.24  worth  of  milk,  or  $23.00 
worth  of  butter,  and  meal  sufficient  for  $66.64  worth  of 
milk,  or  $64.88  worth  of  butter. 

ABUSES. 

It  is  said,  and  truly,  that  none  of  us  are  without  a  fault 
of  some  kind.  The  Good  Book  says,  "There  is  none 
good;  no,  not  one."  While  enumerating  the  countless 
good  offices  of  corn,  permit  brief  dealing  with  one  of  its 
mischievous  powers.  Of  the  two  billion  bushels  crop  of 
1885  eighteen  million  nine  hundred  and  twenty-seven  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  eighty-two  bushels,  or  a  trifle  over 
seven-tenths  of  one  per  cent,  was  used  for  distillation.  A 
bushel  of  corn  sells  for  thirty  cents  with  us,  and  when  con- 
verted into  intoxicating  drink  represents  seventeen  quarts. 
The  distillers  receive  forty  cents  a  gallon  for  converting  it 
into  whiskey.  It  thus  represents  the  original  30  cents,  and 
$1.70  for  the  distiller,  making  its  value  at  this  stage  $2. 
Then  the  government  tax  of  90  cents  a  gallon  adds  $3.85 


25 

to  the  value,  swelling  it  to  $5.85.  By  the  time  it  reaches 
the  retailers  it  has  been  "  reduced  "  in  strength  and  increased 
in  quantity  by  the  admixture  of  water,  and  some  more 
harmful  substances,  so  that  its  measure  has  at  least  been 
doubled;  and  the  corn,  when  it  begins  to  drop  into  the 
drinkers'  glasses  on  the  bar,  represents  about  eight  and 
one-half  gallons  of  drink.  Allowing  60  drinks  to  the 
gallon,  the  official  bar  average,  the  bushel  of  corn  will  fur- 
nish 270  drinks,  which,  at  an  average  of  15  cents  to  the 
drink,  will  take  $40.50  from  the  pockets  of  the  consumers. 
This,  added  to  the  $5.85  put  into  the  corn  up  to  the  time 
of  reaching  the  jobbers,  making  a  total  of  $46.35.  Sub- 
tract the  30  cents  which  the  farmer  received  for  the  corn, 
and  the  balance,  $46.05,  will  show  the  amazing  profits  made 
by  those  who  do  not  till  the  soil  to  raise  the  corn,  but  who 
multiply  infinitely  by  scientific  means  the  evil  powers  of 
the  grain,  and  who  from  this  hurtful  multiplication  reap 
easy,  large,  and  reliable  profits.  The  original  price  of  the 
bushel  of  corn  is  contained  155  times  in  the  ultimate  re- 
ceipts from  it.  In  this  way  the  enormous  wasting  power 
of  alcoholic  drink  can  be  easily  understood.  Political  re- 
formers and  statisticians,  who  talk  so  learnedly  about  "hard 
times,"  appear  to  have  skipped  such  calculations  as  these. 
It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  state  that  in  1880  there  were 
99,997  insane  persons,  76,891  idiots,  88,665  paupers, 
59,255  prisoners,  or  316,812  persons,  every  one  of  whom 
can  trace  a  portion,  at  least,  of  his  trouble  to  liquor. 

CONCLUSION. 

It  was  originally  my  intention  to  have  prepared,  in  con- 
nection with  this  paper,  a  chapter  relating  to  soil,  particu- 
larly as  to  the  importance  of  keeping  up  its  maximum 
producing  power ;  but  it  is  already  of  quite  sufficient 
length  for  one  sitting  of  an  audience.  Suffice  it  now  to 


26 

say,  the  thrifty,  successful  manipulator  of  the  soil  will  not 
permit  its  desirable  quality  to  deteriorate — will  keep  it  up. 

We  once  had,  in  connection  with  one  of  our  leading  state 
institutions,  one  who  taught  the  doctrine  publicly  that  use 
and  tillage  of  Nebraska  soil  would  not  detract  from  its 
productive  characteristics,  or  in  any  way  impoverish  it. 
He  is  not  now  with  us,  thanks  to  better  and  more  intelli- 
gent management. 

While  I  believe,  with  good  treatment,  the  soil  peculiar 
to  the  great  slope  reaching  from  the  base  of  the  Rocky 
mountains  to  the  Missouri  river  will  continue  to  reward 
the  intelligent  husbandman  with  crop  yield  in  abundance, 
and  longer  without  perceptible  diminution  than  almost  any 
other,  the  Creator  never  made  a  soil  that  would  not  depre- 
ciate and  eventually  wear  out,  without  recuperative  efforts 
on  the  part  of  the  tiller.  To  expect  otherwise  would  be  to 
ask  Him  to  set  aside  His  fixed  laws  to  accommodate  an 
already  bounteously  provided  for  section  of  country.  We 
may  as  reasonably  expect  that  a  single  bank  deposit  might 
be  drawn  from  for  all  time  without  replenishing.  In  plain 
parlance,  soil  needs  to  be  fed  the  same  as  cattle  and  hogs, 
if  like  results  are  sought  to  be  obtained. 


FIG. A. 


!he  Endocarp  ;  3,  the  Uiutinous  or  interior  snen  cover  ;  iu,  me  j.t;sut,  as  ucounucu  "»<**'•  %**>••".>.  *»  """ 
Sarch  Cells,  one  filled  and  one  empty;  5  a  magnified  section  showing  the  structure  of  the  Scutellum :  6, 
ihows  the  cell  structure  of  the  Plumule. 


cotyledon);  7  is  the  Primary  Root ;   8  the  Root  Sheath  ;  9  the  covering  of  the 


Shield  of  the  Plumule  6  (or 
Embryo. 


Copyrighted,  1886,  by  the  PRAIRIE  FARMER  PUBLISHING  CO. 


FIG.  B. 


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